Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join BALSA?

We welcome participation from postdoctoral fellows, Ph.D. students, law students, MBA students, pharmacy students, and MD students in the St. Louis region. We also work with members of the community who would like to apply their biomedical, business, and law training in new ways.

Do BALSA consultants get paid for their work?

No, BALSA members do not get paid for the work they complete. We are a student-led, non-profit organization. Consultants do, however, gain hands-on training and mentorship, the experience of real-world projects, and exposure to professional development opportunities.

Do I need prior consulting experience?

No prior consulting experience is required. If your application is successful, BALSA provides training as part of the onboarding process. As new members progress through projects, experienced members such as project managers and advisors will provide guidance and mentorship. Occasionally, BALSA, independently or through collaboration with outside organizations, provides professional development workshops.

What should I expect from BALSA?

The BALSA Group aims to provide its members with real-world opportunities to experience the business of science. Projects are intended to help members develop transferable skills applicable to both academic and non-academic career trajectories, including but not limited to, management and technology consulting, intellectual property, sales and marketing, research and development, and technology transfer. Through BALSA, members will have the chance to meet, work with, and learn from other BALSA consultants and leaders of the St Louis business community.

What is a BALSA project?

BALSA projects typically last 6-7 weeks and are focused on answering questions and solving problems for our clients. A top priority in The BALSA Group is to train, educate, and expose members to a wide array of opportunities in which they can apply their knowledge and skills beyond academia. To do this, we rely on an experiential learning approach based around teams containing members of varying levels of training. Each project contains a project advisor, a project manager, and 2-4 consultants.

What is the time commitment for a BALSA project?

It is expected that a consultant who is staffed on a project dedicate 6 hours a week to the project, including preparation of weekly deliverables and a weekly team meeting. The weekly deliverables consist of a written report and slide deck presentation that mirror the information presented in the report.

How do I join a BALSA project?

Every two months, the Director of Human Resources sends out an email that contains brief project descriptions. Consultants respond to the emails to indicate their interest and availability and are placed on projects based on clients’ needs and consultants’ goals. A BALSA consultant must complete a minimum of one project per year to maintain status as an active member.

How frequently will I be staffed on a project?

Participating in BALSA allows for flexibility and control in completing projects. Some consultants will participate in back-to-back projects whereas other consultants may choose to space out projects at their discretion.

What is my commitment after I join BALSA?

New consultants are expected to complete a project within four months of completing the New Consultant Training. To maintain active member status, consultants are expected to complete at least two projects a year. If you lose active membership status, you are welcome to re-attend the New Consultant Training to be eligible to be staffed on projects again.

Will joining BALSA affect my doctoral/post-doctoral work?

While you are expected to commit six hours a week during an active project, we do not see any significant difference in time to graduation or number of publications during graduate tenure among BALSA members, BALSA board of directors members, and DBBS (Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences) alumni. You also have the option to not participate in a project during a given cycle if you foresee a busy period in your research efforts.

Should I join BALSA only if I am interested in a consulting career?

The mission of BALSA is to supplement academic training by providing real-world experience in the science of business and development of transferable professional skills to better prepare members for both academic and non-academic career paths. In fact, our alumni transition into various career paths including consulting, academia, industry, government, and law.

When do BALSA meetings typically occur?

When participating in a BALSA project, there is a mandatory weekly team meeting that will be agreed upon by the group members. These meetings typically last one hour and are generally held in the evenings. Additional meetings may be required for the final presentation and any other client meetings.

If I am located outside of St. Louis, can I still participate as a consultant for BALSA?

Unfortunately, BALSA members must be physically located within the St. Louis region at this time.

What if I have more questions?

We are happy to answer any questions that you might have about BALSA. Please contact the Director of Human Resources at hr@balsa.org or use the form below — we will be in touch as soon as possible.